School district

The last few weeks everywhere you go you hear talk about the school districts budget. I find it ironic that some community members are against a school board tax raise. I wonder where these same people were when the whole consolidation topic was on the table a few years ago? Did they fight for four schools or sit back and do nothing? What did people really think would happen when two new schools were built that we really do not need? You cannot sit back on a vote like that and then all of a sudden expect the school board to not raise taxes.

Schools need teachers. These buildings are nice, but walls and bricks do not teach our children-teachers do. Our children and grandchildren deserve better. I too am retired and on a fixed budget, but I also want better for my grandchildren than what I had. I want them to have science classes at the middle level that will prepare them for high school and encourage them for the world beyond. Science related fields are the most sought after careers and college educations. With our more global society, History classes are more important than ever as our grandchildren need to understand and appreciate world events and diversity. The district has made great strides at the middle level, full day kindergarten, and smaller primary classrooms. And yet, despite the data that shows that these work, they want to take three steps backwards and cut what is working to replace it with piecemeal programs that have no proven success data related to them.

Is there some “fluff” that could be eliminated? Yes, but not at the teacher level. Instead, let us look at the ever-growing shrine at central office. In the past four years as teachers have endured layoff after layoff, not one administrator has lost their job. Instead, they have shuffled, renamed jobs to “directors” and done everything they can to make it appear as if they have cut jobs there, while not one of them has ever had to apply for unemployment. If our district enrollment is declining to the point where we can cut teachers, shouldn’t the amount of administrators/directors also decline to match that number. I would think that if one was looking for places to cut, those positions, that are most removed from the education of our students would be first on the list.

Twenty years ago when my children went off to college, they were amazed at how much better their high school education was compared to others. We have had a long history in Warren of supporting education and providing our children with what they need to succeed. Let us not change that now. Let us remember to keep education first, regardless the cost. You simply cannot put a price tag on a quality education.